Dana Hill Robinson is the CEO and founding father of a subscription magnificence field firm referred to as Cocotique. The sweetness model is understood to be a month-to-month shock field of hair merchandise, skincare, and make-up that fits girls of colour greatest.
Robinson opened up about overcoming previous challenges along with her model, how she makes use of the model to have a good time Black and Brown girls, and the significance of networking as an entrepreneur.
What has been a problem in constructing your model and the way did you overcome that?
One of many greatest challenges is constructing the best crew, and discovering the best individuals since you wish to have folks that have the identical ardour. Loyalty for me is actually essential and in addition somebody that understands what it’s wish to work with a small, entrepreneurial firm. That’s all the time been my problem. I’m joyful to say I’ve an excellent crew now that invests in rising the model. That’s been optimistic. It’s helped me to place the model to be stronger when you’ve a great crew as a result of you may’t do every little thing by yourself in any respect.
How do you utilize your model to have a good time girls of colour and assist them really feel lovely of their pores and skin?
That’s the muse of Cocotique. That’s what we’re all about. We’re all about celebrating our magnificence from head to toe. Ensuring that everybody feels seen. Every month, we now have a product data card that’s contained in the field, and I make it possible for we use fashions of various shades of magnificence, completely different hair, and completely different sizes. We wish to make it possible for all people is included. When it comes to the model ambassadors that we work with, we would like all people to be set to see themselves.
How does networking play a significant function in entrepreneurship?
Networking is every little thing. It’s essential to have a robust community. For me, I discovered it’s essential to have a robust community of different girls entrepreneurs and Black girls entrepreneurs. We’re the one ones that may really perceive our journey and might perceive it may be very arduous as a feminine entrepreneur, due to the completely different obstacles that come up. It’s nice to have a community of individuals to lean on to get recommendation from and suggestions from shared assets. I’ve an enormous Rolodex of individuals. I suppose individuals don’t use Rolodexes any extra. I don’t both however I’ve an enormous database of buddies and colleagues that I attain out to and I keep involved with. I might say, anybody that is considering turning into an entrepreneur or beginning a enterprise, get on the market, community, and meet individuals. Don’t simply take their data, however attain out to them and kind a relationship with them. That’s essential.